Former FTX executive Ryan Salame and partner Michelle Bond deny allegations of campaign finance violations

According to Golden Finance, Michelle Bond, the partner of former FTX co-CEO Ryan Salame, pleaded not guilty in the Southern District Federal Court of New York to four charges of campaign finance violations. These charges include conspiracy to cause illegal campaign contributions, causing and accepting excessive campaign donations, causing and accepting illegal corporate donations, and causing and accepting conduit contributions. The charges stem from allegations that Bond concealed the source of funds during her 2022 run for a Republican seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

It is alleged that Salame arranged for FTX to fund her campaign with $400k while Bond is accused of making false statements to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and Congressional committees. Notably, Salame had previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 90 months imprisonment but requested court withdrawal after Bond was charged claiming his plea was based on prosecutor's promise not to investigate his partner.

Judge Lewis Kaplan stated he would consider whether or not to withdraw Salame's plea. Currently, Bond has been released on a bail bond worth one million dollars but is restricted from traveling outside mainland USA. Judge George Daniels has scheduled a pretrial conference for January 2025. In criminal cases involving FTX and Alameda Research as at September 18th only Salame & SBF have been sentenced with prison terms; sentencing hearings for other executives involved will take place over the next few months.